The Reunification Express

Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh City you'll be met by your guide who will transfer you to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta. It was originally Cambodian territory before being conquered by the Vietnamese in the 16th century and named Saigon. The city was then renamed once again, after the North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam in 1975, becoming Ho Chi Minh City (named after the North Vietnamese leader).

Today the city centre is still adorned with wide elegant boulevards and historic French buildings. However, as the undoubted economic centre of Vietnam, high rise office towers are starting to take their place amongst this wonderful colonial architecture.

Make a morning visit to the famous Cu Chi tunnels - an incredible underground tunnel network constructed by Vietnamese resistance fighters during the long struggle for independence. The tunnels, over 250km in length and up to three levels deep in places, played a huge part in the Viet Cong’s victory over the Americans, allowing them to control a large rural area surrounding Ho Chi Minh City.

Today, some of the remaining tunnels have been opened to tourists, offering a unique insight into what underground life must have been like during the ‘American’ war.

Upon return to Ho Chi Minh take a tour of the city centre. Your guide will be happy to personalise your programme, however we would recommend sites such as the Reunification Palace where the South finally fell to North Vietnamese troops in 1975; Notre Dame Cathedral; the Old Saigon Post Office; Thien Hau Pagoda in the city’s bustling Chinatown and the War Remnants Museum, highlighting the suffering of the Vietnamese people during recent conflicts – you won’t be too surprised to discover it’s not exactly a politically balanced exhibition.

The remainder your day is at leisure. It’s a great city to explore at night, lots of bars and great restaurants...you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Train SE8 - depart:0630 arrive:1328

early morning transfer to Ho Chi Minh City Station to board the 'Reunification Express' for the first leg of this epic journey; it is hard to imagine that there's 1,726km's of track in front of you!

A packed breakfast is provided for your journey, but as with all great rail journeys, a vendor selling cool drinks and snacks will never be far away!

The train follows the coast for much of the journey and passes through a variety of stunning backdrops before arriving at Nha Trang.

Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

Your day is at leisure.
Nha Trang is ideal for beach lovers and activity enthusiasts alike with some of the best diving and water sports available in Vietnam.

For those in search of solitude, there are also beaches to the north and south that can easily be reached and offer a slightly more sedate experience.

Train SE4 - depart:0538 arrive:1430

Early morning transfer to Nha Trang Station to board the SE4 to Danang. The train hugs the coast for much of the journey, passing by virgin beach, alongside jungle and cutting through roughly cut rock faces as it heads north. A packed breakfast and lunch are provided for your journey. Upon arrival at Danang Station you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in Hoi An.

Once known as Faifo, the UNESCO designated World Heritage town of Hoi An was one of the Orient’s major trading ports in the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite the passing of the years and the ravages of weather and war, the centre of Hoi An remains much the same as it did in its heyday. The town is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit to Vietnam with the laid-back atmosphere and the fine colonial architecture lining cobbled streets offering a glimpse of times gone-by.

Explore the former merchants’ homes, the 400 year-old Japanese Covered Bridge and the colourful market. Hoi An is one of the best places in Asia to shop for silks, handicrafts, antiques and art. The local tailors are also famous, for their high standards of work and can create anything to order in just 24 hours. A short distance from the town centre is Cua Dai Beach, popular with both locals and visitors for it’s sandy beach, warm sea and seafood stalls. Hoi An is famed throughout Vietnam for its fine cuisine and there are any number of sensational restaurants and cafes to choose from.

Your day is at leisure.

Your day is at leisure.

Your morning is at leisure in Hoi An.

Afternoon departure for Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Your scenic route passes through Danang before climbing over Hai Van Pass (Ocean Cloud Pass) and dropping down to the wonderfully photogenic fishing village of Lang Co.

Hue remained Vietnam’s capital until 1945, when Bao Dai, the last of the Nguyen emperors, abdicated. Many of Hue’s attractions are found along the banks of the Perfume River that flows through the centre of town.

After checking in to your hotel, the remainder of your day is at leisure.

A perfect way to see many of Hue’s highlights without getting caught up with the crowds. Your day begins by saddling up and setting out from your hotel to the area formerly known as the ‘New City’, before crossing the famous Truong Tien Bridge, built by Gustave Eiffel, over to the “Old City”. Visit the heavily bombed remains of the Imperial Citadel, built along the lines of Beijing’s Forbidden City and from where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled between 1802 and 1945.

Continue cycling along the banks of the Perfume River as far as Thien Mu Pagoda, via Kim Long village, where you can stop to visit a very pretty garden house. Once at the pagoda - perhaps Hue’s most famous religious site - explore the gardens and the distinctive seven-storey octagonal tower. In the late morning, return to Hue by car stopping at Dong Ba market if you wish.

After lunch, continue your tour by car, visiting the elaborate mausoleums of Emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh, two of the eight Nguyen dynasty tombs to be found along the banks of the Perfume River. Considered the most impressive of the bunch, both are extravagant complexes of pavilions, temples, courtyards and lotus-filled lakes.

Train Livitrans - depart:1448 arrive:0402 (+1)

Your morning is at leisure until your transfer to Hue Station for boarding the overnight Livitrans service to Hanoi, on the final leg of your train journey. Throughout the afternoon the scenery will be captivating as your train rolls. A packed dinner is provided for your journey.

As the sun sets, bedding will be provided and your seating converted to a sleeper compartment.

Early morning arrival in Hanoi where you will be met by your guide. Take a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake which is a hive of activity at 5am as the locals take exercise and practice Tai Chi on the banks on the lake. An day room is arranged at a local hotel for you to freshen up.

Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, ranks amongst the world's most attractive and interesting cities. It was first the capital of Vietnam in A.D. 1010, and though the nation's capital moved to Hue under the Nguyen dynasty in 1802, the city continued to flourish after the French took control in 1888. In 1954, after the French departed, Hanoi was declared Vietnam's capital once again. The remnants of over 1,000 years of history are still visible here, with that of the past few hundred years wonderfully preserved.

After lunch, consider visiting the very popular Ethnology Museum or the central Hoa Lo Prison, nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton by American POW's during the war. Alternatively your guide will be happy to discuss alternative places of interest that you may wish to consider.

In the evening we recommend staying in and around the Old Quarter where there is a large selection of excellent restaurants and cafes to choose from. There is also the amazing 'street-food' such as Pho to be found on every corner!

Your day at leisure until your transfer to Hanoi Airport for your onward flight.